Contemporary life of Portuguese heritage

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Francesinha.

Portuguese eat well and diversely. One of the most memorable (and comforting) meals I had there was “francesinha”. The urban legend says it was invented in 1960s by a Portuguese immigrant who returned from France (“francesinha” means “a little French girl”). There are many Portuguese living in France, by the way, which is a consequence of immigration wave in 1960s and 1970s, caused by the burden of dictatorship and modest living conditions in their homeland at the time.

The main ingredients are: bread, ham, linguiça sausage, meet (steak), all with melted cheese on top, bathing in a special sauce and accompanied with french fries.

The real “Francesinha” is primarily linked to the city of Porto. Oh yes, they even organize “Francesinha” festivals!